Vermont Suicide Prevention Symposium 2021

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2021 Speakers

Julie Ebin

Julie Ebin, EdM, leads projects on state- and community-level suicide prevention at Education Development Center, including their Community-Led Suicide Prevention...

Deborah Weidner

Dr. Weidner’s mission is to save lives through the aspirational goal of zero deaths by suicide and opiate overdose.

Becky Stoll, LCSW

Becky Stoll serves as Vice President for Crisis and Disaster Management for Centerstone.

Marissa Sicley-Rogers

Marissa Sicley-Rogers, Psy.D, is the Coordinator of the Institute of Living’s Psychological Testing Service in Hartford, CT, where she supervises...

Matt Dove

Matt Dove is a dual-certified Nurse Practitioner in Family Medicine (FNP-C) and Psychiatric Mental Health (PMHNP-BC).

Amelia Franck Meyer, Ed.D, LISW (she/her)

Dr. Amelia Franck Meyer is the founder and CEO of the national non-profit, Alia: Innovations for people and systems impacted...

Rachael Comeau, EdD (she/her)

Rachael Comeau is the former Assistant Director of the Vermont Child Health Improvement Program in the Department of Pediatrics at...

Rebecca Bell, MD, MPH

Dr. Bell is a Pediatric Critical Care physician at the University of Vermont Children's Hospital and an Associate Professor of...

Matthew MacNeil, M.A., M.Ed., Ed.D., LCMHC (he/him)

Matthew MacNeil is the Director of Evaluation and Co-Chair of the Staff Wellness Committee for Howard Center. He is a...

JoEllen Tarallo, Ed.D., MCHES, (she/her)

Dr. JoEllen Tarallo is Executive Director of the Center for Health and Learning, a 501c3 that develops projects and resources,...

Logan Hegg, PsyD (he/him)

Dr. Logan Hegg is a licensed clinical psychologist at The University of Vermont Medical Center in Burlington, VT.

Eileen Barendse

Eileen Barendse is a former educator, current Co-Lead of the Vermont Chapter of Moms Demand Action, and the State Lead...

Tripti Sharma, MA LPC

Tripti Sharma, MA LPCSenior Trainer Partners for Children's Mental Health Bio: Tripti Sharma MA, LPC is a Senior Trainer at...

Tom Delaney, PhD (he/him)

Dr. Delaney is based in the Vermont Child Health Improvement Program in the UVM Larner College of Medicine's Department of...

Mercedes Avila, PhD (she/her)

Dr. Maria Mercedes Avila holds an appointment as an Associate Professor in the Department of Pediatrics in the Larner College...

Cheryl Sharp, MSW, ALWS (she/her)

Cheryl S. Sharp, MSW, ALWF is CEO of Sharp Change Consulting, Inc. Prior to creating Sharp Change she created and...

Victor Armstrong, MSW (he/him)

Victor Armstrong serves as Director of the NC Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, Substance Abuse Services, with responsibility and...

Caitlin Quinn, Master of Public Health (MPH) (she/her)

Caitlin Quinn is a public health analyst who works on suicide prevention epidemiology and surveillance at the Vermont Department of...

Heather White

After nearly losing her life to post-partum depression and suicide, Heather White dedicated her personal and professional life to mental...

Annalisa MacDonald, LCMHC (she/her)

Annalisa MacDonald, LCMHC is the Assistant Director of the School Services Program for Howard Center.

Stan Collins, NREMT (he/his)

Stan Collins has worked in the field of suicide prevention for over 20 years since losing a friend to suicide...

Tracy Binet-Perrin, M. Ed (she/her)

Tracy Binet-Perrin, M. Ed serves as an elementary school counselor in a K-6 school in Brattleboro, VT, and has been...

Maureen Monahan, PhD

Dr. Monahan is a Project Administrator at the Suicide Prevention– Training, Implementation & Evaluation (SP-TIE) Program at the Center for...

Peggy Darling

Peggy has been privileged to work with children and their families for over 35 years. During retirement from her full-time...

Joseph Smith, US Army Veteran, Suicide Survivor

Joe Smith served for 6 1/2 years in the United States Army as an Infantryman deployed to serve in Operation...

Cris Rowan

Cris Rowan is a pediatric occupational therapist, biologist, international speaker, and author passionate about changing how children use technology.

Shawna Hite-Jones

Shawna Hite-Jones, MPH, MCHES, provides project management, one-on-one consultation, facilitation of learning events, and resource development with the Education Development...

Lisa Horowitz

Dr. Lisa Horowitz is a Pediatric Psychologist and a Senior Associate Scientist at the National Institute of Mental Health at...

Jodi Girouard, B.A. in Education and English, PWLE (she/her)

I have a book entitled, Living with the Neighbors coming out as an ebook in August of 2021. It is...

Melissa M. Houser

Dr. Mel Houser (she/they) is a Board-certified family physician and an expert in neuro-inclusive healthcare and employment, as well as...

Prachi Kene

Dr. Kene is a Professor in the Department of Counseling, Educational Leadership, and School Psychology at Rhode Island College (RIC).

Caroline Mazel-Carlton, C.P.S. (she/her)

Caroline Mazel-Carlton is a suicide attempt survivor who, since moving out of a North Carolina psychiatric group home in 2009,...

Yvette Bonilla, LMSW

Yvette Bonilla, LMSWOwner and CEO Suicide Care Consulting Services, LLC Bio: Yvette Bonilla, LMSW, is the Owner and CEO of...

Nick Nichols

Nick Nichols, MSW, is the Suicide Prevention Program Coordinator at the Vermont Department of Health and oversees the work of...

Susan Swindell, Licensed Psychologist–Master (she/her)

Sue Swindell is a Licensed Psychologist and has worked in community mental health for more than 30 years. She believes...

Pete Cudney

Pete Cudney is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who has focused his career on understanding child development, attachment, and the...

Sanchit Maruti, MD, MS (He/Him)

Dr. Maruti is an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry, University of Vermont College of Medicine. He is an Attending Inpatient Psychiatrist...

Alison Krompf, MA (she/her)

Alison received her BA in Psychology from Colgate University, a Master’s in Clinical Psychology from Pepperdine University and is currently...

Alexina Federhen

Alexina created a non-profit, The Feel Better Way, to provide information and resources to young adults struggling with mental health...

Kurt Michael, BA, MS, PhD

Dr. Kurt Michael is the Stanley R. Aeschleman Distinguished Professor of Psychology at Appalachian State University.

Terri Lavely, MS

Terri Lavely, MS AFSP VT Chapter board Bio: Terri Lavely MS, QMHP has been employed at Northeast Kingdom Human Services...

Steve Broer, Psy.D.

Steve Broer, Psy.D. is a clinical psychologist & Director of Behavioral Health Services at Northwestern Counseling & Support Services.

Shelby Rowe, MBA (she/her)

Shelby Rowe is the program manager for the Suicide Prevention Resource Center, an award-winning artist, mother of three sons and...

David Rettew, MD (he/him)

David Rettew, MD is an Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Pediatrics at the University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine....

Kristy Hommel, M. Ed. ECE

Kristy Hommel is a Reducing Traumatic Stress for Children in the Emergency Department trainer and loves it.

Mark Gebo, M.Ed. (he/him)

Mark Gebo is a School Counselor with the Bellows Falls Union High School and a Crisis Intervention Specialist (QMHP) with...

Nina Gutin, Ph.D.

Nina Gutin, Ph.D. Clinical Psychologist Didi Hirsch Suicide Prevention Center Bio: Nina J. Gutin, Ph.D. is a Clinical Psychologist in...

Kheya Ganguly M.A.

Kheya Ganguly M.A.Director of Trauma Prevention and Resilience Development Vermont Department Of Mental Health Bio: Kheya Ganguly is currently the...

Sonny Provetto

Sonny Provetto, LICSW, is an Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing International Association (EMDRIA)-approved trauma consultant, certified EMDR clinician, and trainer...

Cheryl Gagne, Sc.D.

Cheryl Gagne, Sc.D.Senior Associate C4 Innovations Bio: Cheryl Gagne is a senior associate at C4 Innovations. Her areas of interest...

Ryan Price, MPA

Ryan Price, MPA Area Director American Foundation For Suicide Prevention Vermont Chapter Bio: Ryan is a nonprofit leader who has...

Simone Arnold, MC, QMHP (they/them) Adult Outpatient Therapist LCMHS

Simone Arnold is currently employed as an adult outpatient therapist through Lamoille County Mental Health Services (LCMHS) in Vermont working...

Kelly Posner, PhD

Dr. Kelly Posner is a Professor of Psychiatry at Columbia University and her work is saving lives all over the...

Kevin J. Crowley

Dr. Crowley’s research to date has emphasized brief interventions for reducing shame and suicide risk, understanding suicide “drivers,” and considerations...

Pre-Symposium Webinars

Pre-Symposium- Sustaining Yourself at Work

August 26, 2021

Current research supports that we, employees of systems and organizations, cannot produce desired outcomes for those we serve without a stable, engaged, and healthy workforce. As helping professionals, our wellbeing is affected; we oftentimes take care of others and forget to tend to our own needs in the process. This training will provide an understanding of how to sustain yourself in the work by providing key learnings and mindset shift.

Pre-Symposium- Suicide Deaths in Vermont, The Intersection of Mental Health Challenges, Lethal Means, and Biological Sex

August 26, 2021

This presentation will focus on the interaction of key factors seen in people who died by suicide, including the person’s history of mental health challenges, the lethal means used for suicide, and their biological sex.

2021 Introduction

Vermont Suicide Prevention Symposium: Introduction

August 22, 2021

Running Through The Fields Of Life To Reach One Another Presented By: Jodi Girouard, B.A. in Education and English, PWLE A five minute video on reaching

2021 Keynotes

Save the Indian, Save the Man- A Social Justice Perspective on Suicide Prevention

August 23, 2021

This presentation will intertwine music, art and humor to address the serious issues that have increased risk of suicide among American Indians & how embracing culture is key to reducing that risk.

Protective Factors in Suicide Prevention- Why It’s Important to Understand the Good Stuff

August 23, 2021

Presented by: David Rettew, MD This presentation will take a positive psychiatry perspective on suicide prevention and describe how qualities such as connectedness, optimism, and self-efficacy can

Moving Forward Together, Connectivity is The Key

August 22, 2021

Presented by: Victor Armstrong, MSW Lessons learned from the COVID-19: The role of clinicians, policy makers, providers, advocates, and lived mental experience in moving us forward.

Intentional self-poisoning in young people- Prevention, identification, treatment and referral in primary care and other settings

August 23, 2021

Presented by: Tom Delaney, PhD, Logan Hegg, PsyD, and Rachael Comeau, Ed.D Rates of intentional self-poisoning, a common form of self-harm in young people, have increased substantially